Be tough on schools in sexual harassment cases, corporators urge PMC

Students at a protest against the management of the school
in Wanowrie. (Express archive)

Recent incidents of sexual harassment of schoolgoing girls was the focus at the general body meeting of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) as elected representatives strongly urged the civic body to initiate action against the schools for failing to ensure security of schoolchildren and delay in taking action against the culprits.

NCP corporator Nanda Lonkar said the PMC should take steps towards ensuring safety of schoolgoing girls by taking strict action against the schools for failing to take strict action against the culprits.

“The victim of a prominent school had to shift to another school due to the sexual harassment by those ferrying her in the school bus everyday. However, it was reliably learnt that the second school has also told the family of the victim to leave the school saying it was getting affected due to bad publicity. Where should the victim go for further studies?” said Lonkar. “The PMC education board should act tough against such schools that are adding to the suffering of the victim,” she added.

Corporators urged the civic administration to take strict action against schools failing to ensure safety of the girl students. “The education board has appointed a committee to investigate the matter and action will be taken against schools after a report is submitted to education board,” said municipal commissioner Vikas Deshmukh.

Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat and Congress corporator Sunanda Gadale said the PMC should provide all possible help to the family of the victim. The elected representatives also criticised the civic administration over an incident in a crematorium in Vadgaonsheri where a girl was raped by the security guard appointed by a contractor providing service to the civic body.

The civic administration said it was found that a lot of security guards were recruited in the civic body without proper verification. “It will be investigated why verification of those recruited for security job in civic body was not done,” said Deshmukh.

Deshmukh also announced the ‘suspension’ of Tukaram Supe, chief education officer of PMC education board, for 15 days and that an inquiry would be done into alleged financial irregularities in the purchase of flowerpots.